CHP Gold and Black

[gmclam]

When I first started listening to scanners in the Sacramento area the CHP only used the Gold channel. At some point they added the Black channel. The boundaries for the two were very clear; anything south of the American River was Black and anything north of the American River was Gold. After listening over the past couple of years it does not seem to be that way any longer.

Can anyone either describe or perhaps provide a map of which part of Sacramento County is covered by the Gold channel and which is covered by the Black? Does it ever change (such as during low activity periods)?

Thanks!

 

[RolnCode3]

I'm confused. Where in Sac County has north of the river = Gold and south of the river = Black not worked?

For some reason, IIRC, the black dispatches BOLOs for I5 near Woodland, but other than that, I've never heard any exceptions to the gold and black.

 

[selgaran]

Black is the channel used by both the South Sac and the Yolo County offices of CHP. 118 units are South Sac, 47 units are Yolo.

 

[RolnCode3]

Black is the channel used by both the South Sac and the Yolo County offices of CHP. 118 units are South Sac, 47 units are Yolo.

Cool, there's the whole explanation. Thanks.

 

[gmclam]

Gold & Black

Black is the channel used by both the South Sac and the Yolo County offices of CHP. 118 units are South Sac, 47 units are Yolo.

So does this mean that I 5 from the San Joaquin Sacramento border to where it crosses the American River near Discovery Park are Black? Then it is Gold from the River to the Elkhorn Bridge where the Yolo county line? Then is it Black again for all of Yolo County?

 

[scannerboy02]

So does this mean that I 5 from the San Joaquin Sacramento border to where it crosses the American River near Discovery Park are Black? Then it is Gold from the River to the Elkhorn Bridge where the Yolo county line? Then is it Black again for all of Yolo County?

That's it exactly.

 

[gmclam]

How about CHP Green

Thanks for the info.

While we're at it; do both western Placer and western El Dorado counties still use Green?

Thanks,
George

 

[hardware1197]

Let's do one further, I have never been able to locate a map of where the various office jurisdictions end and begin for the CHP. For example Oakland Hayward on 880 i know the boundary is Davis (or is it Marina). I would gladly make a Google Earth map layer of this if someone has a source.....

 

[gmclam]

Maps?

Here is a map I got from RR which shows how southern California is broken up. It would be really nice to have a similar map for the bay area and perhaps something to show other areas as well.

 

[scannerboy02]

Thanks for the info.

While we're at it; do both western Placer and western El Dorado counties still use Green?

Thanks,
George

also a yes.

 

[hardware1197]

Maybe it's time for a very specifically written FOIA request.

 

[kma371]

Let's do one further, I have never been able to locate a map of where the various office jurisdictions end and begin for the CHP. For example Oak
land Hayward on 880 i know the boundary is Davis (or is it Marina). I would gladly make a Google Earth map layer of this if someone has a source.....

I know its not marina blvd. Think its aCtually 98th ave

 

[SCPD]

Maybe it's time for a very specifically written FOIA request.

FOIA stands for the Freedom of Information Act, a federal law. I'm not familiar with a California law that might be similar, and apply to state government agencies. I would think that writing to the CHP would yield good results without having to resort to a state law.

 

[selgaran]

FOIA stands for the Freedom of Information Act, a federal law. I'm not familiar with a California law that might be similar, and apply to state government agencies.

California Public Records Act

Link to text of law:
http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/cgi-bin/displaycode?section=gov&group=06001-07000&file=6250-6270

Link to summary of the law (from one perspective):
http://www.thefirstamendment.org/capra.html

Here is how one state agency implements it:
http://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=1084

 

[Radio_Lady]

Maybe just ask a Public Affairs officer?

Maybe it's time for a very specifically written FOIA request.

and later

I would think that writing to the CHP would yield good results without having to resort to a state law.

Agreed 100%, Exsmokey. I doubt it would be useful or productive to create or anticipate a problem, or an adversarial approach, prematurely. Maybe all someone needs to do is ask em? Ask LAPD for maps of their division boundaries, or of each patrol car's beat, or their radio codes, and they'll give it to you. In fact, you don't even have to ask, since that stuff is already on their website.

CHP would seem to be an equally forthright organization. At http://www.chp.ca.gov/html/media.html they tell us "For general information about the CHP, its policies, procedures, history, statistical data or issues that encompass multiple areas, contact the Public Affairs Coordinator at the Field Division Office or the Office of Public Affairs at Headquarters. The telephone numbers for Division Public Affairs Coordinators and the Office of Public Affairs at Headquarters are listed on the back of this pamphlet" by which they mean the bottom of that webpage.

And on http://www.chp.ca.gov/misc/terms.html they let us know that they've even heard about the CA Public Records Act, which I'm certain they do things to comply with many times a day:

"PUBLIC DISCLOSURE
"In the State of California, laws exist to ensure that government is open and that the public has a right to access appropriate records and information possessed by State government. At the same time, there are exceptions to the public's right to access public records. These exceptions serve various needs including maintaining the privacy of individuals. Both State and federal laws provide exceptions."

I seriously doubt that they would even attempt to claim that area maps would be exempt from disclosure. They may not have maps in as pretty or as scannerhead-useful format as the one shown above in this thread, of course, but whatever they do have should be available to the public.

That particular LA-area CHP map, by the way, says "This is not an official State map" but at the bottom is "1/31/00 Caltrans District 7 Graphic Services," so I would guess that what was originally something else has been cobbled together and modified to its present appearance. And hopefully, accuracy.

Again, I would definitely make the request to a public affairs person as they suggest. Responding to inquiries like that is precisely what they're assigned to do. A road officer or sergeant stuck at an area office desk might not even know where to get the information for you, and probably has completely different duties with priority over being a autoclub-style map hander-outer!

 

[SCPD]

Selgaran and Radio Lady, thanks for the clarifications. In the back of my mind is a memory of dealing with the Calif. Public Records Act on some occasion. I believe it might have been during the preparation of a document that satisfied National Environmental Policy Act and California Environmental Quality Act requirements for some type of joint Forest Service/Calif. Fish and Game or Caltrans project. You are correct Radio Lady in that it doesn't work well to use a process that is somewhat adversarial with the first contact with an agency. I dealt with lots of people who did this and they ended up only getting the minimum amount of information. Someone who called or stopped in and was friendly, who did not aggressively asserting their rights (which is obvious to everyone concerned), eventually ended up with more information because everyone was motivated to help each other. It is amazing to watch some people become their own worst enemies.

Now that we have established the way to obtain statewide information on the boundaries of CHP area offices, who is going to follow through? Ideally the information would be in the form of a PDF file so it could easily be shared here on RR. I'm in the midst of trying to get ready for winter and am a week or two behind, hoping the first big snow will hold off for awhile, while trying to make progress on the vehicle I have inside my garage that has the electrical system, clutch, and doors in a state of disassembly as I make repairs and upgrades. Otherwise I would volunteer.

Um, hint, hint, this sounds like a task right up the alley of, hmm, hint, hint, Harry Marnell! This is meant as a compliment Harry!

 

[scannerboy02]

I will give Tom Marshall and/or Fran Clader over at CHP HQ in Sacramento a call Monday to see what they can do for us. I work closely with both of them during my normal day to day job activities.

 

[KMA367]

Um, hint, hint, this sounds like a task right up the alley of, hmm, hint, hint, Harry Marnell! This is meant as a compliment Harry!

LOL. Thanks, and I do take it as a compliment, but I'm kind of out-of-pocket as far as making any contacts... which I'd much rather do in person rather than by phone or email. Heck, I'm 3 hours drive from Northern Division. Over the mountains. Uphill both ways. In snow. I see "scannerboy02's" post, hopefully he can get something. I've got one person I can ask who would have had access to this in the past, and I'll see what I can do.

Can't imagine there'll be a problem getting the information once the right person is contacted. The only boundaries I know for sure are for Arcata (16) and Crescent City (95), which are now the county lines - but even that just happened within the past year. For years and years Trinity River (90) handled eastern Humboldt County, apparently due to some old political "considerations."

If I find anything I'll post it.

 

[OpSec]

Black is the channel used by both the South Sac and the Yolo County offices of CHP. 118 units are South Sac, 47 units are Yolo.

112 units are also South Sac, which has been the area number anytime I've ridden with them in the past...did that change to 118 for some reason?

 

[selgaran]

112 units are also South Sac, which has been the area number anytime I've ridden with them in the past...did that change to 118 for some reason?

Bah, I typoed it, should be 112.